India with populaation is nearing 100 crores remains predominantly an agroeconomy. Next to cerelas, oilseeds is country's most important agriculture crop. Over the years there has been progressive growth in the area, production and yield in the nine cultivated oilseed crops namely groundnut, mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower, Niger, castor and Linseed. As per the Ninth Five-year plan Document the targeted production, domestic consumption and exportable surplus of oil seeds in the ninth plan is as given in the table below.

Amomgst the oilseed crops during the Radi Mustard is the most important crop in the country. B. juncea and B. rapa are the two major varieties grown India. The various local names under which mustard/rapeseed is addressed in the country Include Sarsoan, Toria, Yellow sasoan, Brown Sarsoan, Gobhi Sarsoan, Taramira, Karan Rai etc. Mustard is predominantly grown in the states of Rajasthan, Utar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujrat, West Bengal and Assam. Other states, which also grown mustard, are Bihar and Punjab,

production of mustard in the country has under gone phenomanal changes in trems of the area under cultivation, production, productivity and Yield. With area production and productivity from 194 Lakhs hectare, 81 Lakhs Tonnes and 417 kg/hectare in 1949-50; 623Lakhs hectare 588 Lakhs Tonnes and 944 Kg/hectare in1994-95 to the current figures of 607 Lakhs hectare, 595 Lakhs Tonnes and 982 Kg /hectare during 19992001, This progrees can be easily compared to that achieved by the green revolution in case of foodgrains in sixties. Mustard is consumed in the country in various form such as oil used in cooking, oil for massage, industarial oil, meal oil cake. Area under crop, production and Yield of Mustard in the country is as given below.